City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 4.7% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $104,700 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH and $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Spartanburg, SC ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,471 in Spartanburg | $104,743 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
84 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Cincinnati → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,990 | $63,883 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $114,460 | $119,889 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $77,080 | $80,736 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $82,360 | $86,267 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.